A Manila court on Tuesday, October 1, convicted ten members of the Aegis Juris fraternity for the 2017 hazing-related death of University of Santo Tomas (UST) law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III.
The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 11 found Arvin Rivera Balag, Mhin Wei Chan, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver John Audrey Onofre, Joshua Joriel Macabali, Ralph Trangia, John Robin Ramos, Jose Miguel Salamat, Danielle Hans Matthew Rodrigo, and Marcelino Bagtang Jr. guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of violating Section 4(1) of the previous anti-hazing law, Republic Act No. 8049.
Hence, the court sentenced ten fraternity members to reclusion perpetua and directed them to jointly pay Castillo’s family P461,800 in actual expenses, P75,000 in civil indemnity, P75,000 in moral damages, and P75,000 in exemplary damages, totaling P625,000 in actual expenses and damages.
“All the amounts shall earn interest at the rate of 6 percent per annum upon finality of the decision until fully paid,” the court said.
The ten have been detained at the Manila City Jail since May 2018.
Castillo’s hazing death is one of the most prominent and controversial hazing cases in recent years.
On September 17, 2017, Castillo died from hazing while being recruited by the Aegis Juris fraternity. He was only 22 years old at the time.
An autopsy revealed that Atio sustained severe blunt traumatic injuries, which ultimately caused his death.
The Department of Justice subsequently filed criminal charges against the ten fraternity members involved in the incident.
Lawmakers summoned the University of Santo Tomas officials, including its law dean and Aegis Juris alumnus Nilo Divina – who stated he was an inactive member – to the Senate for an inquiry.
The Senate investigation prompted the passage of the 2018 anti-hazing law, a measure that Castillo’s family personally witnessed being enacted in the upper chamber. (TCSP)
